Memphis would justify this by prioritizing stability and identity over volatility. Ja ongoing off-court issues, availability concerns, and inconsistent leadership have repeatedly disrupted the Grizzlies momentum, forcing the front office to manage uncertainty instead of building continuity. Moving him allows Memphis to reset culturally and reshape the team around JJJ, Coward, and the rest of their young core. Sabonis gives them an immediate offensive hub who is reliable, durable, and elite on the glass—directly addressing Memphis biggest weakness next to JJJ, who isn’t a strong rebounder. While the ceiling drops without a superstar guard, the floor rises significantly, creating a more structured, dependable team that can compete without being tied to Ja’s unpredictability.

From Sacramento’s perspective, this is about escaping the Sabonis ceiling and acquiring a true offensive engine. With no proper PG longer in the picture, the Kings lack a guard who can consistently collapse defenses and create advantages late in games. Sabonis is an elite regular-season hub, but his value drops in the playoffs when teams sit in the paint, ignore him as a scorer, and force Sacramento into stagnant offense. Ja immediately solves that problem. He becomes the unquestioned face of the franchise, restores star power after Fox’s departure, and gives the Kings a clear offensive identity built around rim pressure, pace, and transition scoring. The organization would be betting that a fresh start, new accountability, and a defined leadership role can stabilize Ja off-court issues, making the risk worth it in exchange for a much higher playoff ceiling than a Sabonis-led core can realistically reach.